Touch sensor and information processing system

Abstract

A touch sensor module is structured by laminating an organic EL layer and a smoked glass layer on a substrate, which has a positive electrode pattern and a negative electrode pattern on the upper surface. When a driving voltage is applied to the positive electrode pattern, a current flows in a segment between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern in the organic EL layer and the segment emits light. The emitted light causes a figure that represents a key to appear on the display surface of the touch sensor module. When the user touches a portion in which the figure representing a key is displayed on the display surface of the touch sensor module, a capacitance between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern changes. Accordingly, the user's touch to the figure representing a key is detected.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A touch sensor used in a touch sensor device that has a display function based on emitted light and a touch detection function, the touch sensor comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a positive electrode pattern and a negative electrode pattern disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; 
 an electro-luminescence (EL) layer laminated on the substrate on which the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are disposed; and 
 a protective layer laminated on the EL layer, the protective layer transmitting at least part of light emitted from the EL layer; 
 wherein the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are configured to cause at least part of the EL layer to emit light and also to detect a touch by a user on the touch sensor; and 
 wherein the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are separated from each other and are shaped and disposed so as to match a shape in which a portion of the EL layer forms a character, a symbol, or a figure, the portion emitting light when a driving voltage is applied across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern, and to match a position of the shape, where the shape is formed by combining the positive electrode pattern, the negative electrode pattern, and a portion between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern. 
 
     
     
       2. The touch sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is a transparent glass layer or a transparent sheet. 
     
     
       3. The touch sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is a smoked glass layer or a smoked sheet. 
     
     
       4. A touch sensor device comprising:
 the touch senor according to the  claim 1 ; and 
 a controller; wherein 
 the controller applies the driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern and also detects a touch by a user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern. 
 
     
     
       5. The touch sensor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the EL is shaped and disposed so as to form a character, a symbol, or a figure; and 
 the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern are shaped and disposed so as to match a shape in which the EL layer emits light when a driving voltage is applied across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern and to match a position of the shape. 
 
     
     
       6. An information processing system comprising;
 the touch sensor device according to  claim 5 ; and 
 a processing unit that performs data processing by using the touch sensor device as an input device that accepts a manipulation performed by a user. 
 
     
     
       7. A touch sensor device comprising:
 the touch sensor according to  claim 1 ; and 
 a controller; wherein 
 the controller applies a driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern and the negative electrode pattern to cause at least part of the EL layer to emit light and also detects a touch by a user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern use and the negative electrode pattern. 
 
     
     
       8. A touch sensor used in a touch sensor device that has a display function based on emitted light and a touch detection function, the touch sensor comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a positive electrode pattern for display use, a negative electrode pattern for display use, a positive electrode pattern for detection use, and a negative electrode pattern for detection use that are disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; 
 an EL layer laminated on the substrate on which the positive electrode pattern for display use, the negative electrode pattern for display use, the positive electrode pattern for detection use, and the negative electrode pattern for detection use are disposed; and 
 a protective layer laminated on the EL layer, the protective layer transmitting at least part of light emitted from the EL layer; 
 wherein the EL layer is shaped and disposed so as to form a character, a symbol, or a figure; the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use are separated from each other and are shaped and disposed so as to match a shape in which the EL layer emits light when a driving voltage is applied across the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use and to match a position of the shape where the shape is formed by combining the positive electrode pattern for display use, the negative electrode pattern for display use, and a portion between the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use; and the positive electrode pattern for detection use and the negative electrode pattern for detection use are disposed around a portion of the EL layer, the portion emitting light, when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the EL layer. 
 
     
     
       9. The touch sensor according to  claim 8 , wherein the protective layer is a transparent glass layer or a transparent sheet. 
     
     
       10. The touch sensor according to  claim 8 , wherein the protective layer is a smoked glass layer or a smoked sheet. 
     
     
       11. A touch sensor device comprising:
 the touch sensor according to  claim 8 ; and 
 a controller; wherein 
 the controller applies a driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use and also detects a touch by a user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern for detection use and the negative electrode pattern for detection use. 
 
     
     
       12. A touch sensor device comprising:
 the touch sensor according to  claim 8 ; and 
 a controller; wherein 
 the controller applies a driving voltage across the positive electrode pattern for display use and the negative electrode pattern for display use to cause at least part of the EL layer to emit light and also detects a touch by the user according to a change in capacitance between the positive electrode pattern for detection use and the negative electrode pattern for detection use.